Trunk and suitcase fastener



C. E. DUGGANV TRUNK. AND SUITCASE FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED JULY 15,1919.

Patented May 4, 1920.

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CHARLES E. DUGGAN, OF 1105 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRUNK AND SUITCASE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4:, 1920.

Application filed July 15, 1919. Serial No. 310,903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. DUGGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk and Suitcase Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved trunk and suit case bolt, and the object thereof is to provide an improved article of manufacture in which the plates and bearing parts thereof for mounting the loop or hasp and lever cooperating therewith for locking the loop or hasp by a cam or eccentrio locking motion whereby one end of the loop or hasp is moved over or past the pivotal center of the locking device, are constructed in a novel manner.

A further object of the invention consists in providing a box or trunk fastener or catch consisting in producing the plates thereof of sheet metal, the projection of the keeper plate being stamped up from a single blankshaped into form to provide a groove for receiving the locking loop or hasp, which loop or hasp is pivotally carried by a lever pivoted upon lugs stamped from the other plate of the fastener, while said plate is also provided with a stamped up socket and lug retaining in position a spring serving to hold the lever in an unlocking or a lockingposition when the loop or hasp is engaged or disengaged.

A further object of the invention is to improve generally the construction of devices of the character mentioned, reducing the cost of manufacture and providing a device which is relatively neat in appearance and strong and durable in use.

With the above objects and others in view, as will appear as the specification proceeds, the invention comprises certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly pointed out and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompany ng drawings forming a part of this appllcation wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved bolt or fastener.

2 is a side elevation thereof shown Flg. in a ocked position as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device in an unlocked position. i

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 11 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blanks.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved bolt or fastener is shown comprising a plate 10 preferably formed of a single blank having apertured attaching ears 11 and an extension 12 at the top, said plate being cut out along opposite sides of the extension 12 as shown at 13 and stamped up to form a keeper 14 having a beveled edge 15 and hollow internally, but provided with a kee er groove 16 at the top.

ooperating with the keeper is a plate 17 having attaching ears or like apertured portions 18. This plate is slitted to provide ears 19 which taper toward each other and are turned outwardly at right angles to the plate and apertured at 19 to receive the pivot pin 21 of a lever 20. The lever 20 is formed of a plate of sheet metal having its sides 22 turned downwardly and apertured as shown at 21, in order to receive the pivot, while said side portions stand next outside of the ears 19, said sides also engaging the plate to limit the movement of the lever toward the plate. The lever is shaped to form a finger piece which can be readily grasped, as shown at 23. Pivoted to the side portions 22 of the lever 20 at 24' are the ends of a loop 24 which is designed to engage over the projection of the keeper 14 and within the groove 16, when the device is in looking position, the edge 15 allowing free movement of the lever.

Also stamped up from the plate, is a socket 27 to receive the adjacent end of a flat spring 26 which is retained in position by means of a lug 27 stamped upwardly from the plate to engage an aperture 28 in the spring, the free end of the spring stand-.

ing behind and bearing outward against the downturned end flange 29 of the lever. Said flange is slightly shorter than the side portions 22 standing at right angles to and extending between the same, and is stamped and bent from the same plate 20 of metal.

Thus, it will be seen that when the loop 24 is engaged over the keeper and in the groove 16, the lever 23 may be forced downwardly so as to cause the locking of the parts to which the plates are secured, the

lever causing a cam or eccentric like action in the locking movement by causing one end of the loop or hasp which is pivotally connected with the lever to move over or past the pivotal center of the locking device which is the lever itself, while the spring retains the lever in either position of its movement parallel to the plate 18 or in angular relation outstanding with respect thereto. Great facility is claimed for the manner of production of the parts, especially as made from sheet metal and the improved article of manufacture resulting therefrom, which is both economical to '-produce and strong and efficient in use.

What is claimed is:

1. In'a fastener of the class described, the

combination with'a plate having outstanding ears and a socketbelow them, a spring having one end mounted in the socket and its free end thrown normally forward between the ears, and a second plate having a keeper;

be'detachably secured to the other plate and a locking device pivotally connected to the hasp carrying plate and adapted to move one end of the loop or hasp past its pivotal center of the locking device in fasteningor unfastening the loop or hasp, one of said plates having stamped up apertured ears and a stamped socket with an adjacent lug projecting from the face thereof, a spring held in said socket and having an opening receiving said lug, a lever having side portions pivoted to said ears and having an end portion engaged by the spring to normally hold the lever in looking or unlocking posi tion, and a hasp loop pivoted tothe sides-of the lever beyond the pivot of'the latter to engage the keeper, said keeper comprising a projecting portion having a groove to receive the loop.

3. As an article of man'ufacture,-a trunk and suit case fastener comprising 'a plate having portions thereof toward each other adjacent the central portion of the plate stamped out and bent to provide spaced ears and apertures, said plate being transversely perforated and raised to provide a socket opening in the direction of the ears, said plate being further bent to provide :a lug adjacent to the socket, a flat spring mounted in said socket and having an-aperture receiving said lug, the freeend of the spring projecting between saidears and directed upwardly incurved formation, a lever comprising a section of metal having its sides bent downwardly at right angles and pivoted to the opposite ears adjacent one end, said end being slit at either side to form a flange to engage the spring, said flange being bent downwardly at right angles and said sides having apertures spaced fromsaid pivots, a U-shaped hasp loop having inwardly directed ends engaged in the last named apertures, and the free end of the handle forming a grasping portion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. DUGGAN. Witnesses:

JOHN H. -BYRON, CHAS. E. DUccAm-J r. 

